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Hantavirus: Argentina expands probe to trace outbreak source
Dw.com and 1 more
- Argentina expands hantavirus probe to Mendoza with fieldwork planned June 8-12, incorporating CDC collaboration to trap and test rodents.
- The Andes hantavirus outbreak is under investigation after 11 cases and 3 deaths linked to the MV Hondius, with Argentina tracing potential sources.
- Rodent trapping and testing are central to identifying the outbreak origin, with Malbran and CDC deploying field teams in Mendoza.
- Ushuaia authorities dispute a local origin, noting Tierra del Fuego has had no hantavirus cases in decades as part of the broader source debate.
- The outbreak involves the Andes hantavirus, a pathogen with up to 30% mortality and no approved treatment or vaccine, heightening global concern.
- The MV Hondius voyage was interrupted due to the outbreak, diverting its route away from Ushuaia toward Cape Verde.
- Authorities are analyzing movements of passengers and staff to understand transmission dynamics and prevent further spread.
- Lab results from rodent tests are anticipated within weeks to confirm links between rodent exposure and human cases.
- World Health Organization maintains that the hantavirus outbreak does not constitute a pandemic threat, despite ongoing tracing.
- Argentina emphasizes learning from the outbreak to improve management and prevent future transmissions, leveraging international cooperation.
- Argentina’s Mendoza fieldwork follows earlier Ushuaia rodent sampling, illustrating a coordinated, cross-region investigation.
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